how could i have forgotten to mention this! i got to see bryan and meghan briefly for lunch last friday... every time i see them i am wistful that i don't get to spend more time with them. despite bry's tendencies towards grumpy-old-man-ness on occasion, i really like hanging out with them. they're both working several jobs, plus meg is in school, so they're busy folks. maybe if the nhl talks go well, we can make a go of a sharks game. :)

in family-starting news, my friend a.j. (an old camp counselor friend who lives in australia) just had her first baby on december 1st-- a boy! i need to go visit my australian friends... also in related news, my coworker gillian got engaged over the weekend. congrats gilly! AND i just got an email from my buddy ben (a friend from college who has been teaching english in china since graduation) that HE is getting married. yay!